Dianthus chinensis L.

Dianthus species are annual, biennial or perennial herbs, usually caespitose or somewhat mat-like, stem erect or ascending, simple or branched from the base, angular or terete, glabrous or pubescent, rootstock slender, stout, sometimes rhizomatous. Leaves simple, opposite, linear lanceolate to linear elliptic, base sometimes connate, margin entire, apex acuminate, glaucescent, glabrous or pubescent, usually 1-veined, petiole subsessile to sessile. Inflorescence usually in terminal, open cymes or dense clustered capitula or solitary. Flowers bisexual rarely unisexual, pedicel erect in fruit, bracts paired, margins scarious or herbaceous, bracteoles 1-3 pairs, Calyx tubular, veins 7-20, without scarious commissures, apically 5 toothed, petals 5, free, white, purple, pink, red, tinged or spotted, base clawed, auricles absent, margin lacerate, dentate or rarely entire, apex bifid or emarginated, rarely absent. Stamens usually 10, filaments distinct, anthers 2-locular, dorsifixed, staminodes absent, nectarines present. Ovary superior, unilocular, ovules numerous, staminodes absent, gynophore long, styles 2, filiform, stigmas 2. Fruit capsule, ovoid-cylindrical, dehiscing by 4 teeth, carpophores present. Seeds many, shield shaped, compressed dorsiventrally, blackish brown, embryo erect, papillae tuberculate.

Herb

Dianthus species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary; rarely unisexual. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: February-March.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory, dispersal by humans.

Perennial herbs, about 10-50 cm tall, laxly caespitose or somewhat mat-like, stem erect or ascending, branched dichotomously and distally, glabrous or sparsely pubescent with minute hairs, rootstock stout, short. Leaves simple, opposite, densely clustered near the base, linear lanceolate, about 3-5.5 x 0.2-0.4 cm across, base slightly connate, margin entire, thickened, apex acuminate, midrib thick, tri-nerved or penta-nerved, radical leaves about 5-6.5 cm long, cauline leaves about 2-4 cm long, becoming smaller towards the apex, glabrous, petiole sessile. Inflorescence usually in terminal, few flowered or solitary. Flowers bisexual, pedicel about 2-5 mm long, bracts 4, paired, ovate, margins scarious, bracteoles 4, broadly cuspidate, about half as long as calyx, with foliaceous points, calyx tubular or subcylindrical, veins 7, without scarious commissures, apically 5 toothed, teeth triangular, with acuminate tip, margins ciliolate, scarious, about 8.5-11 x 2-3.5 mm across, petals 5, free, spathulate-obovate, white, dark pink, purplish, base clawed, pubescent, auricles absent, margin acutely serrate, incurved, apex bifid, about 2.5-3.5 mm long. Stamens usually 10, filaments distinct, anthers 2-locular, dark blue or purplish, dorsifixed, staminodes absent, nectarines present. Ovary superior, unilocular, ovules numerous, staminodes absent, gynophore long, styles 2, filiform, stigmas 2. Fruit capsule, subsessile, ovoid-cylindrical, dehiscing by 4 teeth, carpophores present. Seeds many, compressed dorsiventrally, blackish brown, embryo erect, granulate.

Dianthus species are susceptible to various insect pests, viruses, root rots, powdery mildews and moulds.

Notes: Cultivated, Native of East Asia

Temperate Himalayas, altitude 1200-1300 m., also cultivated.

Sandy forest margins, forest grasslands, dry hillsides, sandy hill summits, valleys, rocky ravines, meadows, streamsides, wetlands, cultivated

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Cultivated in gardens.